[EastYorkTTCFan]

That’s because it’s only been used on a very tiny part of the GO network with no real explanation, it was supposed to be a symbol that represented the entire GTHA, if everyone adopted it the general public would soon know what it means

because it's not going to happen because the major transit agencies all said nope we aren't going to waste money to change all the stops and stations to add something that isn't needed at all. Metrolinx had a wayfinding expert who created a problem that didn't exist and then created a solution that we don't need. Even if every transit agency wasted their money to use it the public still wouldn't know what it means because by the time that happens Metklinx will have hied another wayfinding expert who will tell them somethig completely different.

 

[EnviroTO]

In ten years people will ask why does unrenovated station X have such dated looking signage with a 1950s style shield logo or 1960s GO logo. Many products have changed their logo over time and is many cases, even when there was initial push back by brand loyalists, after time passes the old branding looks out of if date rather than timeless The more the T is used, the more people will relate to it. Unlike other logos where perhaps the goal is aesthetics or branding a unique service, the goal was the brand of "transit" universally and TTC wasn't going to become GO, and GO wasn't going to become TTC... but they can both be transit T.

 

[EnviroTO]

Metrolinx had a wayfinding expert who created a problem that didn't exist and then created a solution that we don't need.

It wasn't some guy who picked it. It was a study that looked at many options and had many reviewers. I think some signs in Pickering still have an earlier test logo. I would argue it was needed. If we are going to have a seamless cross GTA network, the signage to say this is where you find transit should be similar. A rider should not need to be a transit geek that remembers all the logos of all the operators in the GTA Similar to going to the airport the symbol of airplane and name Pearson are shown on highway signs, not the GTAA logo which only transportation geeks (like myself) would be able to recognize. Putting "T" first says "this is not about unique branding, this is about purpose".

 

[Northern Light]

It wasn't some guy who picked it. It was a study that looked at many options and had many reviewers. I think some signs in Pickering still have an earlier test logo. I would argue it was needed. If we are going to have a seamless cross GTA network, the signage to say this is where you find transit should be similar. A rider should not need to be a transit geek that remembers all the logos of all the operators in the GTA Similar to going to the airport the symbol of airplane and name Pearson are shown on highway signs, not the GTAA logo which only transportation geeks (like myself) would be able to recognize. Putting "T" first says "this is not about unique branding, this is about purpose".

Many of us would and have argued, the T was a poor choice, and added confusion rather than clarity.

 

[T3G]

In ten years people will ask why does unrenovated station X have such dated looking signage with a 1950s style shield logo or 1960s GO logo.

I think you are massively overestimating how many people actually care about logos.

 

[allengeorge]

As I’ve said before, as much as I don’t like the T, the real issue is that this ‘standard’ was created without any implementation funding.

If Metrolinx wanted everyone to switch over, the provincial government should have had a capital improvement fund that municipalities could draw from to upgrade their stops. Hell, use that fund to allow transit systems to upgrade certain stops with shelters, electronic signage, etc.

 

[cplchanb]

Many of us would and have argued, the T was a poor choice, and added confusion rather than clarity.

what constitutes to "many of us"?? UT foamers?? or was there an actual study by a diverse general public?

 

[Northern Light]

what constitutes to "many of us"?? UT foamers?? or was there an actual study by a diverse general public?

I was speaking on behalf UT'ers and some additional transit nerds.

I don't think the broader public has really noticed or cared to this point. I'm unaware of any formal study.

 

[lenaitch]

To me, wayfinding and branding are different goals. It's not like they would be trying to entice you towards GO over Bob's Transit. Whether it's a 'T' or something else, it strikes me the goal should be to wordlessly direct someone to public transport.

 

[Undead]

It's utter foolishness dicking around with logos without increasing service levels--the factor that actually attracts people to transit. I can't believe anyone takes logos seriously when many areas throughout the region have a service level of 1-2 busses per hour. Talk about putting the LRV cart in front of the horse.

 

[Deadpool X]

It wasn't some guy who picked it. It was a study that looked at many options and had many reviewers. I think some signs in Pickering still have an earlier test logo. I would argue it was needed. If we are going to have a seamless cross GTA network, the signage to say this is where you find transit should be similar. A rider should not need to be a transit geek that remembers all the logos of all the operators in the GTA Similar to going to the airport the symbol of airplane and name Pearson are shown on highway signs, not the GTAA logo which only transportation geeks (like myself) would be able to recognize. Putting "T" first says "this is not about unique branding, this is about purpose".

How does putting T logo help? People can see a subway station or a bus stop and realize it's transit. If they can't then adding a small T logo won't help either. What could help is the logo of the transit agencies and route numbers operated from that stop.

 

[cplchanb]

How does putting T logo help? People can see a subway station or a bus stop and realize it's transit. If they can't then adding a small T logo won't help either. What could help is the logo of the transit agencies and route numbers operated from that stop.

Once again are you seeing it from a general public hat or a UT foamer hat? ML is marketing the T as the sign for transit. People who are not transit nerds will be conditioned to recognize it for what it is. It's only here where we try to armchair it away. Let's stop wasting our energy on a freakn letter and focus on more important things such as why oncorr is taking so long to get going.

 

[T3G]

In order for people to start recognizing the T is for transit, they would have to stop labelling maintenance facilities with it and have some kind of rollout plan with the local transit agencies of the GTA. And if they're going to have a universal logo, they could choose something that looks quasi attractive.

Down with all anthracite coloured things

 

[Garuda]

According to my cat T means Time for Tuna

 

[reaperexpress]

People know that bus stops are a place you can access transit. They know that train stations are a place you can access transit. If a bus stop is already clearly identifiable as a bus stop, there is no point in also identifying it as "transit".

Between the GO and the YRT stop markers, I think the YRT one does a better job at identifying "transit", because the largest logo is the universally recognizable bus icon, rather than a (T) icon that is only recognizable in places where it is the logo of a sepecific transit operator (such as the MBTA). Sure, if we added a T icon on every bus stop, streetcar stop and train station in the province, people would start to associate it with transit, but what would that accomplish? They already recognize the bus icon, the streetcar icon and the train icons.

The YRT marker is also much easier to spot thanks to its use of vibrant blue rather than black. The reason that many agencies have coloured strips on the top and bottom is that they helped make the stop markers stand out. Making those strips black eliminates that function, which may explain why Milton Transit chose to use their bright blue instead of following Metrolinx's austere standard.

Image by As I Walk Toronto

Here is how I would adjust Metrolinx's proposed stop marker standard to make it clearly identifiable as a bus stop, and make the design brighter from a distance: